Railway signal-flag



W. A. JOHNSON. RAILWAY SIGNAL FLAG.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-3. I920.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920'.

WITNESSES A TTORNEYS WILLIAM, AUSTIN JoHNsoN, or r I nvIoNT, WEST VIRGINIA.

RAILWAY SIGN All -FLAG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

Application filed August 3, 1920. Serial No. 400,999.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM AUs'rIN JoiINsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fairmont, in the county of Marion and State of West Virginia, have way signal flags, my object being the pro- VlSlOIl of an arrangement by whlch flags of different colors may be carried, for separate use, whose nature is such as to provide for the ready disposition of rolled flags therein, as well as the ready removal of such flags therefrom.

According to my invention, flags, each of which is normally rolled upon a conventional curtain roller, may be readily inserted in cylindrical flat containers so that each flag can be drawn out through a slot in the container wall, independent of the other, and tension on both flags adjusted as desired.

A still further object is the provision of a simple, inexpensive construction wherein two cylindrical flag containers are provided and means employed to rigidly connect the containers, adapted also to form stafi' holding means or supports.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating my present invention and forming a part of this specification- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device complete;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through one of the flag holding cylinders or containers; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on an enlarged scale.

Referring to these figures, my invention proposes the use of a pair of parallel contiguous flag holding cylinders or containers 10 and 11, each threaded at its opposite ends, as at 12, for the reception of end caps 13 and 14, and each of a diameter adapted to readily receive a conventional shade or curtain roller such as indicated at 15 in Fig. 1, having, as usual, a rigid cylindrical pin 16. projecting axially from one end and an oblong tension controlling lug 17 projecting axially from its opposite end; Around the rollers 15, within the containers 10 and 11, are flags 18 and 19, which may be of different colors, each provided along its free outer edge with a tubular portion 20 adapted to receive therethrough a retaining rod 21.

Each of the containers 10 and 11 has a lengthwise slot 22, outwardly through which the free edge of its respective flag may be extended, after the roller has been placed within the container. When the edge of the flag is extended outwardly through the slot the rod 21 is passed through the tubular outer edge 20, with its ends projecting beyond opposite sides of the flag and engageable with outstanding lugs 23 of the containers to prevent the free edge of the flag from again passing inwardly through the container slot as long as the rod 21 is in place.

The end cap 13 has a central opening through which the cylindrical pin 16 of the respective roller 15 may be extended and is rotatable, while the opposite cap 14 has a slotted central opening of the shape of and adapted to receive the lug 17 so that by holding the flag after its free edge has been extended outwardly through the slot 22, tension may be increased upon the flag holding roller as the cap 14 is screwed on its respective end of the container.

Each of the containers 10 and 11 being of substantially greater diameter than the curtain on its respective roller, it becomes a difficult matter to properly position its ends in engagement with the cylinder ends except by first detaching the caps 13 and 14, it being then a simple matter to first project the pin 16 through the cap 13 and screw this cap tightly on the container, and then engage cap 14 with the roller lug 17 prior to screwing the cap in place.

The two containers 10 and 11 are rigidly connected in the spaced parallel relation shown and previously described by means which include a cylindrical socket member 24 and a bracket 25, socket member 24 bridging and connected to both containers at their sides opposite the slots 22 and adjacent to one end of the containers. The socket member 24 opens toward the bracket 25, which latter is disposed substantially in line with the socket member adjacent to the relatively opposite ends of the containers and has its central portion shaped to receive a flag stafi or stick 26, one end of which may be extended into the socket member 24 so as to effectively support the staff or stick in detachable relation with respect to the two containers.

It is thus obvious that in addition to per- ,mitting the ready, independent unrolling of each of the flags for independent use and the automatic rerollin'g thereof by virtue of their disposition upon curtain rollers, my invention provides for the ready, quick and easy withdrawal of the rollers with their flags entirely from the casings or containers and just asready reinsertion, avoiding loss of time and much diflicult manipulation incident to the insertion of flags in similar devices now employed.

I claim: V

1. A railway signaling device including a pair of spaced parallel cylindrical containers having lengthwise slots and threaded ends, and removable end caps engaging the threaded ends of the containers, one cap of each cylinder having a circular opening and the other cap having a slotted rectangular 7 opening, and a flag holding spring roller disposed within each container, having cylindrical and rectangular end projections extending through the respective apertures of the end caps, the rectangular projection being of suflicient length to extend into the opening of the corresponding cap before the latter is screwed upon the respective end of the container. W

2. A railway signal including a cylindrical container adapted for the reception of a flag holding spring roller and having a lengthwise slot inwardly and outwardly through which a flag may be shifted, and end caps threaded on and closing the opposite ends of said container, a flag bearing spring roller having end projections and removably disposed in the container, said caps having centrally disposed apertures corresponding to the shape of and adapted to receive the said end projections of the spring roller while the caps are detached from the cylinder, as and for the purpose set forth. WVILLIAM AUSTIN JOHNSON. 

